Mac OS X forum: Do macs need antivirus software?

As it stands today, all known exploits require the user to install the exploit. Since you installed it then it's not a virus but an exploit.

We're still looking for a MacOSX virus.
Bob

How is it any different than a program you elected to install?

And please tell us about that virus you are talking about.
Bob

Norton Anti-Virus is fine, but disable the Auto-Protect feature or you'll be dealing with kernel panic crashes every few days. I have a new Mac Pro. Everything worked great until I installed Symantec software on it and then it started to crash erratically every few days.

I have two macs. One is protected with anti-virus, the other one just has the built in Apple Firewall. Neither has ever been infected. I haven't had a virus since the days of Mac OS 8/9. Even so, I prefer to be on the paranoid side and have anti-virus installed. It has never caught anything, but I'd rather be too careful than too careless since I rely on my Mac for my living.

This program has ever been more trouble than good for Macs. This is true from Mac OS8 onwards. Frankly it is a piece of garbage being foisted on mac users. Virex is a much better bet. At lease it doesn't screw up your machine!

First off, the latest iteration of the Mac OS is quite secure. So far, the only way to "infect" a Mac is for the user to authorize the installation of malware and other forms of "viruses". A true virus would be able to invade the system without the user being aware of it. So far, no reports of this have surfaced. Has it happened? Maybe. Will it happen? Most definitely. It is inevitable for the Mac platform to grow to an extent where it becomes a target for hackers. You could say that it is already a prime target today. There are millions of Mac users around the world, and most of them probably do not have an anti-virus program installed. The Mac OS does not need one for the time being.

It is better to be prepared for something like this than to not be, but right now, the majority of AV software reduces system performance and hampers productivity in OS X. The same cannot be said for Windows. AV programs are a necessity of sorts for Windows.
It isn't BS. It just isn't an issue for the time being. And it's not negligence either. I, among others, recognize this.
In the Windows world, the user has complete access to all of the system and its contents. In OS X, many of the core components and important system files are hidden from the user. Reduce the access and you get heightened security. That's one reason why Windows is prone to many viruses and attacks; attackers can easily gain access to the system. Keep in mind that I am not bashing Windows. I'm just stating a comparison.

Also, preparing for a nuclear strike is important. We know it can happen. It's not if but rather when. Same with attacks on the Mac OS. The Mac OS is being constantly improved, with each release being generally more secure than the last. Snow Leopard is going to be addressing stability and core components instead of more features. This should prevent more attacks from occurring or developing at all, theoretically. In both cases, we can only hope that they do not happen. The point is, until the day comes where a Mac can be infected by a true virus, we won't need anti-virus software.

-BMF

Hi: I have MacScan installed on my MAC. What it does is search for spyware, tracking cookies, keystroke loggers and other such malicious items. The first time i ran it, it found two or three tracking cookies which i deleted. Since then it has found nothing bad.

A trial verson can be installed free and if you find it useful it costs $29.95.

Here is their summary of what it does:

"MacScan 2.5.2 - Detect, Isolate and Remove Spyware
MacScan 2.5.2 Release Date: 4/1/08
Demo Terms: Demo will expire after 30 days
Requirements: OS X 10.2.4 or higher, Internet connection required for updates and activation.
Homepage: http://macscan.securemac.com/
Catalog: Administration, Security, Mac OS X

========READ FULLY BEFORE USING MACSCAN==========

In short MacScan's goal is to detect, isolate and remove spyware from your system such as keystroke loggers and trojan horses. Keystroke loggers are programs that are used to record everything that is typed on the keyboard, and log them to a file. Some keystroke loggers will send the logs over the Internet to a specified address programmed into the application. The loggers are not limited to what text they record, if you're typing a letter, or typing your credit card or social security number it is all logged.

Programs exist that, when installed and/or running, allow a remote user to connect to your computer over the Internet, network or telephone line, effectively taking control over your computer, including the files stored on it. There are two types of these programs: Commercial ones, which cost money and allow remote administration activity, and the ones that are intended for control over the computer without the user's knowledge of the activity. MacScan will not remove any of the commercial remote administrative applications. It will however, make the user aware they exist on the computer in case they were activated accidentally, on purpose without acknowledgement, or the administrator forgot to deactivate after use. The other type of programs, commonly known as backdoors or trojan horses, are identified by MacScan and are can be detected, isolated, and removed.

Protect your privacy by checking for known programs which could be running without your acknowledgement by running MacScan. We're always adding more support; if you find an application that is currently not detected or is not being detected properly, please contact us via the contact information below."